State to take control of Quabbin Regional School District budget

Wednesday

Oct 17, 2012 at 6:00 AM

By Bradford L Miner TELEGRAM & GAZETTE STAFF

The state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education will take over fiscal management of the Quabbin Regional School District Dec. 1 and set the school budget for this fiscal year, which began July 1.

The school district is the only one of 325 districts across the state without an approved budget. This is the fifth consecutive year that Quabbin has started an academic year without an approved budget.

The pending takeover follows votes at town meetings in Oakham and New Braintree last night against accepting the School Committee’s third attempt to get at least four of the district’s five towns to accept the budget. Both towns narrowly voted no, forcing the state takeover.

Voters in New Braintree last night rejected an additional $34,196 assessment beyond the $913,523 approved at annual town meeting by a two-vote margin, 56-54.

In Oakham, voters last night rejected their town’s increased assessment by a five-vote margin.

School Superintendent Maureen M. Marshall said that even if the School Committee were to reconsider the district’s $31 million budget immediately, there was insufficient time for another round of special town meetings before the Dec. 1 state deadline for an approved budget.

Several New Braintree voters asked what the town might expect from Mitchell D. Chester, state education commissioner. Selectman Robert Hunt said there is little precedent to go on, but at a forum last week at the Quabbin administration building, Jeff Wulfson, deputy commissioner, said it was highly unlikely the department would take any action midyear that would disrupt the academic program.

“This is the commissioner of education that would be setting the budget if there is no agreement,” Mr. Wulfson said.

Oakham Selectman Dennis Bergin said voters in that community turned aside the request for an additional $76,346 by a vote of 77 to 72. Mr. Bergin said if the School Committee were to reconsider the budget at its meeting Thursday night, it is possible the towns could legally schedule one more round of town meetings.

It was clear from the remarks of Mr. Hunt and other New Braintree officials that the town wished to set a deliberate course to force the state into establishing a budget.

Mr. Hunt said the town would have to abide by whatever decision was handed down, but something had to be down to get beyond the impasse that marked the budget process the past five years.

New Braintree officials cited the need for a new Fire Department tanker, repairs to the Highway Department barn and other needs on the municipal side of the town budget as they recommended defeat of the school request.

Mr. Bergin said few questions were asked at the Oakham meeting, and it was obvious that voters had made up their minds.